Turning Survival Into Prevention

27 May 2026 Stroke prevention

At 23 years old, Nigerian health educator and stroke survivor, Emonena Abenabe Akwara experienced a life-changing stroke. What made the experience even more devastating was that no one around her recognized the warning signs, and it took visits to five hospitals and nearly 24 hours before she received the right medical attention.

That experience transformed her life and ultimately shaped her mission: ensuring that more people, especially children, grow up with the health knowledge that could save lives.

Today, Emonena is a health educator, author, speaker, and prevention advocate focused on advancing early health literacy among children and populations that can’t access health education. She is the author of Hey! I Spotted a Stroke, a children’s storybook designed to teach young readers about stroke warning signs, healthy living, and the importance of prevention in a simple and engaging way.

Through her growing initiative, Teach a Child About Health, Emonena visits schools to provide interactive health education sessions for children, parents and teachers. Every child who participates receives a copy of the children’s book, takes part in a health awareness session, and is introduced to Healthy Heroes Club, a health education platform and YouTube channel where children continue learning through animated and child-friendly health content.

The initiative focuses on making preventive health education accessible early in life, helping children understand their bodies, develop healthier habits, and become ambassadors of health within their families and communities.

Despite limited resources, the project continues to expand. Recently, Emonena secured two small grants that are helping sustain the initiative and support outreach activities. Her goal for 2026 is ambitious but deeply intentional: to reach 10,000 children across Nigeria with life-saving health education.

Her work has also gained international recognition. In 2025, Emonena was selected as a Mandela Washington Fellow at Rutgers University, United State under the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), a flagship program of the United States Government that recognizes young African leaders creating impact in their communities.

Earlier this year, her story and work were featured in an interview with BBC Africa, bringing broader attention to the importance of preventive health education and the role children can play in improving community health outcomes.

Beyond health education, Emonena is also the founder of the stroke support organisation, My Ability In Disability Foundation, through which she has reached and supported over 10,000 individuals, including stroke survivors, through awareness campaigns, advocacy, and community engagement.

Her work is grounded in one belief: health prevention should start early.

Emonena believes that if children are equipped with simple health knowledge today, they can help create healthier families and communities tomorrow. Through storytelling, education, advocacy, and digital innovation, she is working to build a future where fewer lives are lost simply because people “did not know earlier.”

For BBC Africa interview link: CLICK HERE

Website: www.myabilityindisability.org

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